


Bone Saw

by maigonokaze



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: Amputation, Based on a Tumblr Post, Marriage Troubles, Originally Posted on Tumblr, solving problems over surgery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-08
Updated: 2015-09-08
Packaged: 2018-04-19 18:44:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4756988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maigonokaze/pseuds/maigonokaze
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired by this tumblr post: calzonasexytown.tumblr.com/post/63606504090<br/>Three months into their separation, Arizona has a patient in need of an ortho consult for her leg injury. Callie comes to say what Arizona already knew but dreaded to hear: the leg would have to go.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bone Saw

When Arizona saw her patient, the girl’s parents clung tenaciously to the thin metal rails, trying to keep up as the paramedics transferred their daughter over to hospital staff. One of the nurses blocked them with her body, slowly herding them away so Arizona and her team could get to work. The pediatric surgeon kept one ear open toward the parents as she directed the interns – a boating accident. One small mistake that left a tiny leg caught between the dock’s piling and a steel-hulled yacht. The parents were still babbling, hoping the leg could be repaired, as the nurse escorted them out.

Then the door was closed and Arizona’s complete focus was on the child on her table. The leg was shattered; That much had been obvious from the first glance. But on second glance, the damage was even worse. The boat had pivoted around the piling when it struck, with the girl’s leg caught in the middle. It wasn’t just broken, it was crushed. The knee was destroyed and the tibia broken in at least three places that Arizona could see – and they hadn’t even taken an x-ray yet. “Get me ortho,” she ordered, not noticing or caring which intern jumped to do her bidding.

Less than three minutes passed before Callie walked in the door. She didn’t look at her wife. They’d tried to talk last night when Callie dropped Sofia off for her two days with Arizona, but the conversation had quickly spiraled out of control. They were no closer to fixing their marriage now than they had been three months ago. “You can repair her leg?” Arizona wasn’t sure if it was a statement or a question. She glanced toward Callie, but the other doctor still had not looked at her… whether that was out of anger or because she was focused on the patient, she wasn’t sure.

“Let’s get her into surgery,” was the only reply Callie gave.

By the time they had gotten scans and prepped for surgery, Callie had no doubt as to what would have to happen. The crushed knee could not be salvaged. The nerves were beyond repair. The femoral artery had ruptured and torn; the paramedics got the bleeding under control and they’d started a blood transfusion in the hospital, but repairing that artery was the first concern. If it had been cut cleanly, Callie might have been able to work with it, but this… no. The assessment was quick and brutal in its disappointment.

She felt Arizona’s eyes on her and finally looked up. She didn’t have to say anything. Arizona saw it in her face. “No, Callie,” she whispered. “You can fix this. You can do it.”

But Callie shook her head. “We have to get the artery sealed. Even if we could salvage enough of the femoral artery to reattach it to the rest of the leg – which we can’t – the nerves are destroyed and the knee is gone.”

Arizona looked again. She was a doctor. She might not be an orthopedic specialist like Callie was, but even she could see the damage was irreparable. They would have to take the leg. An above-knee amputation – much like her own – would allow them to repair the artery and keep this girl from bleeding out, while still preserving the ability for her to walk again with a prosthetic. “Fine.”

“Bone saw,” Callie called, holding her hand out for the instrument.

“Wait,” Arizona stopped her and shifted over, taking Callie’s place at the girl’s leg. “I’ll do it.” Her own determined gaze met Callie’s look of shock as she spoke to the nurse at the instrument tray, “bone saw.”

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Grey's Anatomy or make any profit from writing fanfic. I do, however, appreciate feedback!


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